42 HealtH Matters
rEPOrt
HIv IS bETTEr mANAgED buT
THErE IS AlSo A growINg
cAuSE For coNcErN
There is good news and bad intravenous drug users (IDU), who catch indicated that up to one in every 200
news on HIv and AIDS in
it by sharing needles, accounted for 10 women in Dublin North City may be
per cent. the biggest category at risk, HIV positive.
Ireland, reports professor
however, is also far and away the least Migration is a risk for several diseases
Samuel Mcconkey. aware and least informed. Just under half including HIV. During the years of the
(47 per cent) of newly diagnosed cases Celtic tiger, there was a large influx of
t
he good news is that improvements in involve heterosexuals infected through people from abroad, mostly young and
the treatment of HIV have dramatically unprotected sex, whether in Ireland or well travelled, who are likely to have
reduced the numbers of people developing abroad. this is the group least prepared brought with them HIV at the rates of
AIDS. Diagnosis of HIV is no longer the their countries of origin, some of which
near certain death sentence it once was are very high. In parts of southern Africa,
and people with HIV can lead fulfilling long for example, a fifth of all adults are HIV
and healthy lives.
“Once acquired, the
positive. People seeking political asylum
the new therapies work extremely come with a range of infections including
well. a recent audit undertaken by the
HIv virus cannot be
HIV, as well as post-traumatic stress,
Department of Infectious Diseases at depression, anxiety and other conditions.
Beaumont Hospital, one of six specialised
eradicated entirely but it
the main reception centre for new
clinics in the country, has found that
can be managed to such
arrivals into Ireland is at Balseskin at St
93 per cent of HIV positive clients on Margarets in North Dublin. Here clients
treatment had well-controlled viral loads,
an extent that the risks of
are offered various health supports,
which puts them at very low risk of AIDS. including voluntary screening for infection.
the Department conducts two or three
acquiring aIDs is very low.
at Beaumont we provide medical care to
clinical audits each year, and selects the
the numbers of people
those who have infections. Beaumont’s
activities to audit based on severity of risk specialist clinic currently sees about 80
associated with that factor: likelihood of
dying as a direct result of
newly diagnosed HIV patients a year –
the activity and severity of consequences double the number of only a few years
were it to occur. this is a basic quality
HIv infection is also now
ago and about a fifth of the total of new
risk management system, which is being
extremely small.”
patients nationally.
developed in 2010. Improved screening of the entire
Once acquired, the HIV virus cannot population would facilitate better
be eradicated entirely but it can be identification and treatment of people who
managed to such an extent that the risks and least expecting the diagnosis, which are HIV positive. In the US, people who go
of acquiring AIDS is very low. The numbers they typically find shocking, devastating to ER are offered screening. Within Ireland,
of people dying as a direct result of HIV and life changing. free screening is already provided for such
infection is also now extremely small. How many people in Ireland are diseases as tuberculosis and syphilis,
the bad news, however, is that the already HIV positive is unknown. The recognising the value to the community
number of people being diagnosed in asymptomatic phase can be extremely of rapid identification to prevent their
Ireland with HIV continues to rise. Some long – over 20 years – and the infection spread. The same should apply to HIV,
400 to 500 people now test positive can be passed on unknowingly to many especially as new treatments do mean that
each year and in the first six months of sexual partners during this time. its spread, especially by asymptomatic
2009 there were 210 new diagnosis of a study undertaken in the rotunda patients, can be decreased.
HIV. Of these, men having sex with men maternity hospital, for example, which Increased opportunistic screening
(MSM) accounted for 41 per cent, while tested patients over a number of years, amongst GPs and hospital doctors,
HM Iss6.1 p1-70.indd 42 12/03/2010 15:15:51
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